Super Future: A Look Into ‘Augmented Duality’ [Interview]

Having already made huge waves by performing at major festivals and headlining national tours, it would be impossible to have missed the eclectic and energetic artist known as Super Future. From hard-hitting heavyweight tunes with the likes of Ravenscoon and the enigmatic SuperAve. to true party-starting anthems with Wreckno, Super Future has solidified himself as a mainstay in the underground bass scene. With a diverse catalog of music and an incredible style all his own, Super Future has his sights set on adding yet another side to his multifaceted project: the Augmented Duality tour.

Curious, we caught up with Super Future to chat about how he’s helping to bring downtempo to the masses with this current tour.

Super Future Delivers Bass Music With Intentionality During ‘Augmented Duality’

Mason Wagner, The Electric Hawk: It has been a treat seeing you come full circle on so many things lately. How is touring with the legend Barclay Crenshaw, doing the INZO tour, and also doing your own tour?

Super Future: Thank you! It feels like a crazy dream I keep having. I find myself with a new crew, bus, and group of homies each time. It’s fast-paced, but thankfully it’s been equally inspiring and invigorating. My home life as an expecting dad and husband makes it a 14-part balancing act. I like the pace [that] it’s all happening [at]. Finding my groove with music, performance, and family life feels like I’m growing a lot as an artist and human. Sharing my passion with anyone listening across North America makes all the effort worth it. I really like growing closer to INZO and Barclay, plus all the other artists and teams. I’m enjoying soaking up the energy of their big visions. I love being around that because it helps me think about mine.

MW: Speaking of full circle, especially being a local, not to mention the time you’ve spent there personally (that 4 AM renegade set on the Hennys last year may have been the best thing I heard all weekend, and that sunrise set on the F1s – wow!)…how does it feel to finally be on the official Electric Forest lineup?!

SF: I look at those renegade sets as some [of my] favorite moments at that beautiful festival. If any Michiganders have followed my journey to this point, they know how much getting booked there means to me. It will be my 9th year attending, so the magic of Electric Forest is never lost on me. It’s also my birthday weekend, the Summer Solstice, and a meeting place for tens of thousands of [like-minded] people. I’m freaking ELATED, dude. Performing as the sun sets on one of the most beautiful stages in the festival with some of my favorite people like CloZee and her Odyzey label…I truly cannot wait to give people a moment in time to get lost in all of my music styles.

I want to make everyone remember that set as one of the greatest that stage will ever see. Wish I could tell you which one!

Super Future, Electric Forest–and all of Michigan, really–have a connection I’ll be fostering as long as I can. I wrote one of my most popular songs about “Sherwood Forest” on CloZee’s label. It [truly] couldn’t be more perfect or full-circle!

MW: Going from the original Ass-Throwers Anonymous with Wreckno coinciding with the joint Hypernatural EP, to bringing the more downtempo-focused side of your project to the masses on your current Augmented Duality tour (and all of the incredible releases and adventures in between) how has it been seeing seemingly all aspects of the Super Future project come to fruition?

SF: It feels powerful to have all of these creative expressions. [I love having] a fanbase who loves to keep up with all of my flavors. I won’t lie though, it feels like I’m doing the work of three projects when it comes to marketing it. An intelligent artist will tell you, “create whatever you want at any time if that makes you happy creatively.” I agree with that sentiment.

Still, I get self conscious about how un-simple my approach is. [Especially when] seeing people succeed with simpler approaches to music. I have a lot to give creatively, and I feel like it’s a point of pride too. Having the options to play a set and make music with good friends like Wreckno. Curating something that gives people a more emotive and immersive experience with downtempo. Going crazy heavy with bass…it’s all just merging together to give you the whole package that I am. It’s also why my merch and imagery of colors and multifaceted diamonds ring true to my nature. I’m just a Gemini with ten sides instead of two!

MW: For me, Sunday Bass Vol. 4 was what really solidified downtempo as one of my favorite genres, not just from you, but as a whole. The level of curation in that two and a half hours of music is next level. It seems like that was also a way to showcase a lot of the IDs that would eventually become some of what I would consider to be some of the core tracks of your downtempo catalog. Obviously, you’ve been doing the Sunday Bass mix series for a long time. Was it always the plan to bring that side of you to the masses in such a big way?

SF: Honestly, thank you so much for seeing that. I see those downtempo mixes as MY version of downtempo. Something a bit more artistic and intentional than the regular party I serve. I seek out a balance in everything. Super Future downtempo is my answer, and balancing counterpart, to my cathartic and intense bass party.

I also love the feeling of trap + deep bass + R&B + transcendental music woven together in a way where I can hear all of it blending cohesively. This is how my skill and deeper artistic nature can create a whole new genre and feeling. [Something] for people to explore, and not just attend or listen to passively. You can tell people are really FEELING this music. I became even more hooked after noticing people’s reaction to it. [I love] seeing how it captivates and entrances people in a way they haven’t felt from conventional bass music events. It’s nice to see them embrace it now that I’ve finally pushed it beyond festival sunrise sets and after parties.

This year, it’s been amazing working with my team to take it to the next level. [We’re] showing promoters that this is a thing that can sell well if it’s done in the right way. Mersiv, Ravenscoon, and a handful of others are also doing a great job at this. I feel confident that our music scene is ready for this new pillar of bass music styles. It’s making a movement of events actually focused on beauty and introspection with dance. It’s like bass music chopped and screwed but with a little more immersive and emotional appeal. I just love to do it and love to give it 🙂

MW: How have crowds responded? Especially putting the downtempo at the end of the night to close out. Having personally attended the Denver show at Cervantes, I absolutely loved that choice. Why did you decide to do it that way, and has it had the effect you were hoping for?

SF: I’m not lying at all when I say that people have been preferring it to my typical stuff, while of course also mentioning that they would pay the same money to just see my trap and bass set. I’m confident in all of my set types – people are booking it and selling it out with me across the states. But the fact that this downtempo music is more “special” to fans makes it even more affirming. Crowds are ready to enjoy new sides and new genres from our favorite bass acts. It’s all for those who want to explore more than the typical stuff, artists and fans alike. I know plenty of artists who want to express a softer side, too. I hope I can convince more artists like me, with that talent and capability, to do what I’m doing too.

When I was deciding how to structure the two-set experience, I never once considered putting the downtempo at the beginning of the night. I felt sure that if I gave the downtempo set the right moment when people are expecting the biggest sets to happen last, it would feel like the main event. A bit of A/V, hype, and anticipation leaves the fans excited for something special. This downtempo set of mine is not exactly chill. It grabs hold of the observer instantly with the deep and intriguing nature of how I’ve curated it. It doesn’t make sense to those who haven’t experienced it yet, but once you do, it will feel like the main event.

You’ll just have to see it to understand.

MW: It seems like there’s a bit of a movement right now for the downtempo facet of freeform bass music. Independent labels and collectives are having a huge effect on what is pushed to the masses. How does it feel being one of the artists helping to lead that charge? Who are your favorites right now leading that charge with you?

SF: I absolutely love it! It’s time for that. I feel very sure of how much our music scene needs the balance. I would never [want to] replace what we love about bass music. We need more options to feel something deeper, immersive, connective, and transcendental. This is my answer to all of that. It comes from a much more heartfelt place than my other music. I think artists and fans of our music are starting to see that it feels really good to make and perform a more vulnerable side of ourselves. That’s the key to a lot of happiness for me at least.

If being a leader in this space leads to more people doing and feeling these feelings, I am honored to be that!

Some of my favorites pushing similar stuff are many on the Odyzey roster, and the space that chill trap and phonk are creating. Illoh, CloZee, Liquid Stranger, INZO, Holy Mob, Backwhen, Of The Trees, ESCPE, Mersiv, Ravenscoon, VCTRE, Tiedye Ky, and the Lab Group homies are all doing some beautiful things that nicely toe the line of bass-ey and beautiful. I seriously miss everything that Charlesthefirst was doing for this lane as well…very dearly. I’ll be playing and flipping his work in my downtempo sets forever. He understood this whole concept better than any of us.

MW: What do you see for the future of the Super Future project? Is Augmented Duality just a tour concept, or will we be seeing a lot more downtempo sets from you moving forward?

SF: I used to wonder how I was going to manage, market, and create so many different musical styles. It just feels good to try and experiment with whatever I want to but like…how?

After talking with some musicians I really look up to, they all told me something similar. They affirmed why they are doing profound work with their own projects – the more styles and things you create, and keep creating, the more unique the project becomes. Eventually, all of your fever creations and passions for various musical styles will combine [into] what makes you a unique artist. I loved the sound of that.

One day, Super Future is going to make experimental bass, trap, downtempo, twerk, garage, hip-hop, drill, future bass, phonk, etc. ALL somehow sound perfectly blended into whatever SUPER FUTURE is.

I want to be THAT weird and unique.

Sometimes I’ll have sets and lineups and events curated around one thing; sometimes it will be all of it!

That specific touch of talent and variety are going to set me apart. [That’s how I will] create the experiences I dream of giving my community.

MW: Is there anything else you’d like to talk about/plug?

SF: If you want to see what an ideal Super Future experience is for me, try to catch one of the last dates of my Augmented Duality Tour (two sets – bass and downtempo). This is my favorite and most unique musical expression. THIS is what my project is really about, and my fans love how it’s sounding! One 60 minute set is not nearly enough to understand me. I’ll be doing both sets at Sol Fest, Showcation, and Electric Forest too!

After that, I’m going ghost for a while to write some of my best music–and focus on having our first baby! Hopefully an album will come out of there with all the songs I’ve started and kept for something special.

For this Spring’s tour…if you are on the fence about sending it, this is the season to catch me before I’m gone for a bit! [It is] my best tour experience yet, no doubt. In late 2024 and 2025, I’ll be coming back strong with amazing music, and hopefully another phase of this 2 set tour. Oh my god and the COLLABS coming are gonna be some WILD SHIT!

See y’all soon 🙂

Check out Super Future on his Augmented Duality tour or at one of his many festival stops this summer to catch this unique, multi-faceted bass experience.

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